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Pura Vida is a Costa Rican phrase that literally translates to “pure life” but it can mean anything from hello to goodbye and everything in between. To me, its meaning has been not worrying about my appearance or frizzy hair in the humidity and scattered rains, falling asleep to what seems to be a track of thunderous river rapids and chirping crickets taken off of a meditation CD. I’ve been taking the scenic route and the path less traveled, saw a sloth through binoculars, trying new foods and drinks, riding horses through a rainstorm with a deaf cowboy to have the storm clear up and see a huge rainbow stretching over the greenery. Contrary to Groovio’s song, you should go chasing waterfalls because it’s so worth the views along the way. We had the chance to go to Tenorio Volcan Nacional Park and we got to see some wildlife along the way to the “catarata” which is Spanish for waterfall. The view of the falls was incredible because the water at the pool below was a bright blue. After descending 252 steps in the side of a cliff, we got to see the falls. I was blown away with how bright colored the water was, it truly looked like it was fake. The bright hue of the water is caused by the mixing of two rivers with different minerals which allows a reaction to happen when they meet at a point called the “tenedor” or the fork of the river. I’ve never had the opportunity to see anything as breathtaking as that. In Sámara, we had more free time after our CREAR volunteer orientation and we helped to set up for their kickoff Concert for a Cause event where they revealed their new venue and mural for their organization. My peers and I also had the opportunity to run a few days of a day camp with CREAR and work with kids ranging from five years old up to twelve, so that was a really incredible experience of practicing the language, playing games, making art and dancing along with them. Pura Vida means the opportunity for traveling with one of my best friends, appreciating nature in a new perspective, immersing myself in a new culture, and spending less time living through my cell phone and social media. More importantly, making new friends and spending time in a beautiful country with some really beautiful souls. Pura Vida, as in a big thank you to my peers and professor for making the most of this trip and being all about the Pura Vida lifestyle, keeping positive minds no matter what may have been thrown our way, including some intense card games of Uno and spoons, a couple moments with a cockroach (or two), iguanas that looked like they wanted to eat us, mosquito bites, a little sunburn, and fire ants. I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to experience it all with. Pura Vida (this time meaning until next time), Rachel